Louisiana Environmental Action Network

Several groups, individuals and LEAN address the ongoing health issues from the BP Oil Spill with a letter to the Environmental Protection Agency, Occupational Safety and Health Association and others...

Almost 8 months since the sinkhole in Bayou Corne first appeared, residents are still displaced, Texas Brine continues to struggle to get a handle on the on-going situation, and Governor Jindal finally visits the community and promises buy-outs.

While residents expressed their extreme frustration, Texas Brine did not commit to any buy-outs but commented that they were in negotiations with their insurance provider and that a representative was in Louisiana to "collect house values and legal descriptions." Notably, CGI Geologist Gary Hecox said the cavern is still collapsing and will take more than a year to fill the hole. LEAN gave recommendations to the Senate committees.

Congratulatons 2012 Jane Bagley Lehman Award Recipients Marylee Orr and Brenda Dardar-Robichaux

Doctor Who Treated Those Made Sick by BP’s Oil Disaster Worries Medical Settlement is Not Fair, Will Exclude Those with Serious Symptoms

U.S. Senate voted against a resolution that would block the US EPA from enforcing its new standards for mercury and air toxics

We wanted to make sure that everyone saw that our Executive Director, Marylee Orr, was the very first person to be featured in The Advocate newspaper's new interview coloumn, "A Few Minutes With...". We are very proud!

The Louisiana State Court of Appeal ordered the State Department of Environmental Quality to test the environmental impact of discharges from produced waters from oil and gas production activities within Louisiana territorial waters in the Gulf of Mexico, upholding the position of the Louisiana Environmental Action Network (LEAN) and its attorney Stuart H. Smith that DEQ failed to protect the public from pollution and possible radiation poisoning when it issued oil and gas permits for exploration without proper monitoring of the resultant impact on territorial waters.

Marylee Orr
Executive Director

Marylee Orr has led LEAN for most of its twenty five years. Marylee didn't intend to work for the environment. In fact, her background was quite eclectic: she worked with Head Start, working in real estate, and later owned an art gallery. Her life changed when her son was born with a respiratory illness that makes it incredibly hard for him to breathe. Marylee found inspiration in her son, and wanted to help people who were less prepared to advocate for themselves and the environment around them.

Before LEAN was founded in 1986, polluters ran roughshod over Louisiana's unique environment and way of life. By providing clear information about pollution and organizing groups into a statewide network, LEAN changed the balance of power. Lean stopped polluting facilities from being built and helped pass new policies protecting Louisianians' health and way of life. As one of the leading environmental organizations in Louisiana, local governments and industries routinely consult LEAN at the start of applications for permits. In the wake of Hurricane Katrina and the BP Oil Spill, LEAN has coordinated emergency relief, disseminated accurate information about pollution and its impacts, and worked toward restoration of the region's habitats and cultures.

The Louisiana Environmental Action Network released the following evaluation on November 26th 2010

Evaluation of the Results of Whole Blood Volatile Solvents Testing
By Wilma Subra and Marylee Orr
Louisiana Environmental Action Network - Baton Rouge, LA

Report By: Wilma Subra

August 2009

Marylee was awarded the Louisiana Department Of Environmental Quality's Environmental Leadership Program Environmental Leader Award for her environmental leadership and advocacy work for Louisiana and our nation. Marylee has served as the Executive Director for the Louisiana Environmental Action Network (LEAN) over the last 22 years, transforming the organization into a national environmental advocacy powerhouse. As the leader of LEAN, Marylee has led the organization in its effort to empower more than one hundred grassroots community organizations, thereby making Louisiana's communities safer and healthier places to live. In 2008, the US Office of Management and Budget Watch (OMB Watch) selected Marylee to receive the OMB Watch Public Interest Hall Of Fame Award. Also in 2008 Marylee was a runner up for the Conde' Nast Traveler Environmental Award.

For a listing of other awards and achievements please visit the About Us page.